Though the finer details may vary,

we all share the same story. 

 This is God's story. 

This is also your story. 

Open the curtains and let us continue.

***ACT IV***

(www.ambassadorsforJesus5.com)

Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect

like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful

and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a

sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing,

he is able to help us when we are being tested. 

-Hebrews 2:17-18

     We begin Act IV as the evil villian, that prince of darkness, approaches our beloved Prince hoping to snub out his light.  The Prince of light has arrived on scene to pay the Princess' debt and rescue her from the kingdom of darkness; to take her as his bride and join her to himself. 

     And true to his nature the evil villain crawls out of his dark hole looking to start trouble.  He has no plans to release his hold on the Princess for he intends to take her as his eternal bride.   

     The evil villain is aware that the Prince is more powerful than himself, however, the Prince has taken on the form of humanity.  With this turn of events and being the opportunist that he is the evil villain sees an avenue by which He can bring about the Prince's fall, the weakness of the flesh. 

     And the King will allow this temptation for in order to adquately represent the Princess before the King he will experience all her challenges in her humanity.  The Prince will be her perfect advocate before the King, not only in death, but also in life as he returns to his father's house while she remains preparing for his return and their wedding day.

     To help us understand the temptation better it may help to know what motivates the Princess.  Ever since the fall she has been yearning at the deepest level for living waters to quench her thirst.  This yearning is a cry within for fulfillment of these deep-seated needs which are the result of her life separated from the King.  Some of these needs are for love, intimacy, security, belonging, worth, and identity, but as a result of the fall the natural life is in the driver's seat and goes about it all the wrong way, after the dictates of the carnal life which leads to sin and death.  Of herself she cannot meet these needs for the fountains of living waters are only available to her through her union with the Prince. 

     After surveying the scene on hand the evil villain reaches in his bag of tricks in search of just the right fruit to offer the Prince. 

     Sound familiar?  That's because it is.  It's nothing new.  He's up to his same old tricks with different disguises, but it all springs from the same root.  Fruits from that other tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and life independent of the King.  

     The most cunning of all creatures, his game is about deception and disguise.  See, without giving him ground He has no power of himself.  He must resort to temptation, trickery, and deceit.  

     After selecting a fruit the evil villain pitches it as a fast ball to the Prince, but the Prince successfully hits this serve straight on with the truth.   

     Disappointed but not deterred the evil villain reaches for another fruit.  In an attempt to gain the upperhand, he switches his tactic and goes for a curve ball.  Another successful hit by the Prince unravels the lie behind the disguise.  Like a major league player in little league, he easily breezes through.  

     Seeing this isn't going to be an easy task the evil villian displays everything he acquired in the fall and offers it to the Prince on a tainted platter.  By now you may realize that the evil villain may be clever at deception but He is no competition for the Prince.  No matter how he disguises these fruits and their rewards the Prince knows from which root it springs, from a life apart from the King which is no life at all.

     Deflated and defeated the evil villian leaves the Prince for a season determined to stop him by putting him to death.  

     So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

-Hebrews 4:14-16

Song:  You Raise Me Up

Artist:  Selah 

Proceed to Act V